Automatic electric generating system.



- A. R. VAN HORN. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC GENERATING SYST EM.

' APPL[CATION HLED DEC.27.1912. 1,202,622. Patented 0m. 24, 1916.

INVENYIOR wrrNEssEs I ATM ALFRED R. VAN HORN BY ms ATTORNEY will continue to sound until the ML: iomciluii i 1%. VA}? H0331, GE PENI' IEYLVA UTGMATIC ELEGTEIC 3E3 Specification of The object of my invention is to provide.

an electric current genei al ing and distribution system which will be completely auto matic in its operation so long as the engine is supplied with fuel and the operative conditions are normal, an abnormal condition once causing the sounding of an alermwhich proper step-s have been to remedy such: abnormal condition.

333th this object View l have devised a novelcombinelion of apparatus comprising an internal combustion engine, a dynam0-eleetric machine, a soi'age batez y, and certain electr cal connections and aepup ienaiices whereby Elie engine is started whenever the storage *altery has been discharged to the predetermined extent as determined by the specific gravity of its electrolyte, the engine then operating the dynamo as a motor and causing it to recharge the storage battery unil said charge has been carried lo a predetermined point as indicated by the increased specific gra ity of the electrolyte, whereupon the enqine is automatically stopped until, by the use of curi'ent from the battery, itsepecific gravity has again fallen to the predetermined point, Whereupon die engineis again auto1i1atically started and the battery recharged. The zipparatus provides against overcharging the battery and takes care of ciiv overload on 0 the line which would oirc'linarily permit an excessive current ilow from the battery. The appai'etns'is alsoso designed as to require a minimum amount of current for starting the engine by reason ol -the :l'cct that it provides 'au ometic compression-re? having means for the engine during the cranking operation.

In the accon'menziyip i (ll'z lvl lllg li lgllfirl illuetic'tes, in diagmmimbic foim, apparatus constz'ucied in accordance with my inventiomzind Z enlarged View of part of the motive powe engil'ie oclisiilcting an ele meet- 0f .epclicefiion filed December 27,2812.

compression releasing valve 01 .eister Emm lleenlized a le e, eel, 9316,

Serial No. $733,851.

In the drawing, A represents an electric storage battery of suitable capacity to supply coil-rent to a line Whose Wi e are marked, respeci'ively, and fills line supplying current any desired zippci'atus, such, for vii'ismnce, as a series el lights, An iniez'iiel combustion engine :3 of any suiiablelype, prefembly one using a liquid hydrocarbon. fuel, is connect-ed to a dynamo C,- said engine and dynamo being; of suilicien capacity to charge the battery llx at the proper relic While also c 121g 1n ec dicioz; enough reserve capacity to properly handle any o erload Within prede'lsermined limits independently of the be? fiery,

F 0.11 governing Elie operation rains I provide a com'zrollei' l3, preferably of drum type, the various contacts on this drum being represented in extended form in l, of the drawing. The drum. is rotated by a small electric motel" E designed to be operated by current either from the battery A or from on auxiliary battery. The engine B is provided Wliill' a, (Fig. 2) Whose K v 1 i 1. mmzwie element liflOill'llCLEd to the core of :1 solenoid in such manner that when she latlier is energized the valve is opened and relieves the compression of the engine. The battery A has inone of its cells a hydrome'cer 0 opemtivel connected in any suitable Way, to the lever c of a switch F, the arrange-v ment-being such that so long as the specific gravity of the electro ie/ of the battery is above a .piedetermined limit current Will be directed through the contact .123 of the switch, and when the specific gm vity of the electrolyte falls: below a predetermined limit the lever 0 will be moved and current will ,v be directed through the CfiIllJiICl) d of the ll comprises an electrosiipplyiz urrent to the lice and lmvof the .eppe

storage magnetic coil i whose arn'iature cooperates with contacts m, m, and. the armature of the polarized relay 1 cooperates with contacts a, n. The controller drum 1) is provided with nine separate contacts numbered, respec ti vely, (3, 9, 22, 24, 26, 2f), 3 3G and 4D, all

of these contacts being electrically connected -nd cooperating with the corresponding-terminals 6'"*,-)"', 22 2%, 26, 34-, 36 and of various circuits of the electrical system of the apparatus. The contact (3 of the drum is always in engagement with the terminal: 6 but the other contacts, as the drum is moved, engage with and are disen gagecl from their respective circuit terminals.

In connection with the dynamo G is employed a rheostat 28 and a starting resistance 32.

Having thus described in a general way the different members of the apparatus which I employ I will now proceed to describe the operation of the apparatus under varying conditions.

tinues until the specific gravity of the. elec-' trelyte in the storage battery so lowered that' thc bulb of thihydrometcr 0 falls and thereby causes thelever c to close the circuit through the contact (Z of the switch F This will establish a circuit from the positive pole of the battery A through the terminal 6 drum contacts (3 and 9, terminal 9, switch f of circuit breaker (i, to coil 11. of the polarized relay 1 and thence through the contact (lot the switch I and through the lever c' to the negative pole of the battery. This causes the arn'mture 14: of the polarized relay I to move to the right, thus establishing a circuit from the positive pole of the battery through. terminal 6, drum contacts 6 and 9, terminal 9, switch f, contact n of the polarized relay 1, armature 14, contact an and armature 19 of the load relay H, to motor l5 and thence to negative pole of the l'iattery. The motor l) is thus caused to rotate and thereby move the drum from the starting position, indicated by the line na -w, in Fig. 1. When the (hfum I contact 5) and terminal 9' are disengaged the circuit, lhroughthe' coil 11. (a the polarized relay l broken but this being a polarized relay the armature 14: will retain its former position and still close the circuit through the contact a until the coil 21 of the relay has been energized. The drum continuing to turn, the contact 22 engages the terminal 22 before contact 9 and.

tl'iroug'h the motor E mes es thence to the negative pole of the battery.

inen the drum i) has completed so much of its rotating movement as to disengage the contact and terminal 22, the circuit is broken. and the rotative movement of the drum D is arrested, the drum contact 24 being now in engagement with the terminal 2 and the drum occupying in respect to the line of terminals the position indicated by the line 7/3 Fig. 1. During the time that the drum is moving trom the position indicated by the line m--m to that indicated by the line o- 1/, electric circuits other than those previously described arc established; thus when tle drum contact 26 engages the tQYIHlBHlQG circuit is established from the positive pole of the battery through terminal 6, drum contacts 6 and 26, terminal. 26, and rheostat further 25: to the'lield coil 01 the shunt-wound dyname f and thence to the negative pole of the battery. The drum D continuing to revolve its contact 29 engages the terminal 29". This establishes another circuit from the positive pole of the battery through the terminal 6, drum contacts ('3 and 29, and terminal 29, to the solenoid I) of the compression releasing mechanismxo't the engine B, and thence thronghthe starting resistance 32 and to the positive side of the-armature of the dynamo C and through the armature to the negative pole oi the battery. The field coils are therefore excited and the counterelectro motive force of the coils is generated be'torc the a rn'iature receives its current. The

dynamo will therefore run as a motor and being mechanically connected tothe engine B will. rotate the crank shaft of the latter and will start the engine in the same manner as though it had been cranked by hand.

[it this time the compression on the engine is released because the solenoid 71 has opened the compression release valve a.

Continued movement of the drum l) brings its contact 34. into engagement with theterinii'utl 34". thereby short-circuiting the I solenoid l), the circuit in which said solenoid was formerlyincluded now running from the positive pole cl! terminal 3, drum contacts (3 and 34, termi nal 34, starting resistance 32, and armature of the dynamo (l to the negative pole o't-thc battery. The result of the slu'u't-circuiting of the solenoid 7/ is to close the wire a and the compression stroke of the engine is thus established, but as the dynamo 0, running as a motor, has brought the engine R up to a certain speed the momentum of the fly wheel carries the piston past the compression stroke, whicl'i'relieves the torque upon the armature shaft. The drum contact 36 new -the battery through the the terminal and thus coinit from the positive pole of the engages pletes :1 cl.

battery through the terminal 6*, drum con-' tacts 3 and 3%, terminal 36, switch f or the circuit creul'ef G and through the ignition circuit oi the engine to the negative pole of the battery; The ignition circuit of the en- {line corresponds us to voltage with that of the storage battery, and the engine 16 is now in condition to operate in a normal manner and will serve as a rector for operating the dynamo (J as a generator, the current flowing ,to the battery in a direction opposite.

to that in which it flowed from the battery when the latter was operating the dynamo as a motor. T his current having a higher voltage than that of the battery will force its way back into the storage cells of said battery and effect the charging of the same.

l t 5 F 1,26%,5324 3f til the circuit through the motor E is broken by the movement of the drum contact 24 out of engagement with the terminal 24, this also-breaking the circuit through the coil 21 of the, polarized relay 1. l receding this operation the drum contact was moved liy this tiine the rotation of the controller Q I now removes the drum contact 22 from ongagement With the terminal 22 and engages the drum contact 2% with the terminal 24, drum contacts '86, 4-0, 6 and 26 still remainingin engagement with their respective terminals. A circuit will now he established from the positive side of the generator (I to coil 42 of circuit breaker G, thence to terminal 4:0, drum contacts 40 and Q'and terminal 6 to toe positive pole of the battery A, then through the cells of said battery to the neg; tive pole of the same, and thence to the negative pole of the generutouthus. charging the cells of the battery, the generator also at this time supplying current for the line. hen the cells of the battery become charged, the specific gravity oi the electrolyte Will rise and the hull) of the hydrometer 0 will also rise, thusoctuating the lever c to close the circuit through the contact (Z of the switch l This establishes a circuit from the positive pole of the generator to the coil 42 of circuit breaker G, terminal 40 drum contacts 4 0 unrl2 l, terminal 2%,coil 21 of polarized solely i, contact (Z of switch F, and lever c to the negative pole of the generator C. 'ihc armature h of the polarized relay 1 will now move to the left. completing the circuit from the positive pole of the generator, through coil 42 of the circuit breolrer ii, terminal 46, drum contacts it) and 24,

contract of the polarized reterruinul ture is thereon contact m and lay ans E, and thence to the negative orator. The drum 1 continues revolve unthe line to the electr c-magnet z of said load out of engagement with its terminal 40 and the drum contact 26 was afterward moved out of contact with its terminal'QG, thus successively breaking the circuits first through the arz'natureanel then through the field of the dynamo. W hen the circuit through the drum contact 40 is broken the motor E will take its current from the positive pole oftne battery throughthe terminal 6, drum contacts 6 and 24c, terminal 24?, contact n of'the polarized relay, armature 14 of the same, contact mand armature 19 of the load relay, and motor E to the negativepole of the battery. W hen the drum com.

tact 2% has passed out of engagement with" the terminal 24% the motor E will stop,llcav-- ing the drum contacts 6 and 9 in engagement with their respective terminals 6? and 9 as at the beginning; of the operation,

The ignition circuit of the engine B will be broken when the drum contact 36 passes out of engagement with the terminal 36 and the operation of the engine and also or" the dynamo C acting as a generator Will'b3 arrested, the cells of the battery being now recharged and supplying current to theline. Under these circumstances the armature l4 oftlie polarized relay l hears upon the conta-ct n of the same end the armature 19 of the load relay H still beers upon the contact m of the same, current helngshunted from relay from a. point 50, but not being strong enough to cause said electro-magnet to overcome the counter pull of the spring 45,. on the armature- 19. If the load on the line is increased beyonrlfia predetermihcd point the pull of the clectro-magnet i overcomes the tension of the spring andinoves the armsture 19 so to cause it to make connection with the contact m of the relay; thus completing a circuit from the positive pole of the battery through the terminal 6, drum contacts 6 and 9, terminal 9, switch f of ture if theloud relay H to the motor side oi the .gen-

the circuit breaker, contact m, armature 19 and motor E tothe negative pole of the battery. This starts the rotation of the drum D Whichgocs through the function of starting the engine l; as before described,

and the engine B runs the dynamoG as a generator, which supplies current to the line in order to take care of the overload. The drum D contin'ues to revolve until it reaches the position indicatedlby the line ;1 y leavin}; the drum contacts 24, 36, 40, i: and 26 ize in engagement with their respective i391:

'minals. The parts remain in this position until the load on the line is decreased bespring: 45 overcomes the puii of the eiecino magnet '1' unri draws the miniature 19 against the contact m, time esiabiishing n circui; iroin the positive pole of the generator C through inc coil iii of the circuit breaker f in the terminal 40, drum contacts 4;) and 2- tei'm'inui 24, contact 1, armature 1-5:, contact m, iii-mature 1i and motor E to the negative poie of the generator C. This will cause ihe motor E to rotate the drum until it has reached the position in respect to the line of terminals ii'idicateii by the line 411 -113, in Fig; 1, thus repeating; the function of stopping the engine and generator as in. ihe case first described."

The circuit breaker G hes a reversai few titre, that is to say, it" a m n-em; beyond 11 certain strength flows through the coil. 42 in a direction opposite 'co that taken by it when the 'enerator is supplying current said. circuit breaker is caused to open. When the cngineis running and operating the dynmno C as a generator and the Miter is fnrnlshing current to the battery or the hnc, or both,

' the drum D occupies the position in respect to the line of terminals inciiceied by che line 1/, in F l, the drum contacts an and. 3G, 40, 6 and 26 being in engagerneni with their terminais, if, under these cii=omnsiances, the engine ceases to operate been se of the lack of 'i'ilei, the dynamo instead. of being operated as a generator now operates a anotoz, a, ciycnit being esizebii sihec'i from the positive Poleof the battery through the temninai 6, drum cont-acts 6 and 40, terininai coil i2 of ciz cnii; breaker G to the positive pcie dynamo C enoi finance from the negative pole of ihc $0 the negative pole of the baiiery. The dynamo now running as a: motel attempts to run the engine E but becansepf the reverse current through ihe coii 4-2 the circuit breaker G opens, thereby openiiiig the switches f and f and closing the Switches 9, g", the opening of the circuit breaker causing the dynamo circuit to be broken. The dosing of the switch 5 eetzibiishes a, circuit from the posh tive poie of the battery ihi'ongh the tor-- ininzils 6, drum contacts 6 mini 24-, terminal 24-, switch 9' and. motor E to the negative pole of the battery A, zhns causing motor to atomic the cinnn D be =1: to :fihe charting position indicated by the iine 1 w, in Fig. 1, the circuit being now eezabiishmi from the positive pole of the it atieiy ihi'ouggh the tern'iinai 6 drum contacts 3 unii i), t-cz'ininoi Sig-switch 9.,eiect1o-znng5nei; of the charm beii J, zi'nki n gative side of the line back to the negative poie oi imitcry, the, charm continuing to ring untii the 11fiZiQLiUf0Cij hos been, remedied and the circuit breaker G again closed. If the ignition (Jil 5flii i5 broken or tiizmity, or if the en ine i." start; from any other cause them.- w:

m income engine is in proper running condition the apparatus needs no aieniion except the supply of gasoiene Hi necessary in'terveis, and; if there is any ebi'iormel condition in the operation of the appa rebns,-snch for'instance as the faiiure oi the spark in the engine, or the breaking of the COnnBCi'iUD between the engine and fihe dynamo an aici'm Wiil be once sounded and kept up until such obnorniai conditions have been corrected; consequently my invention suppiies the need Jwhieh hes iong been feh: for an electric generating apparatus "for country houses, forms, or remote communities where i iie tiroubie and expense of constant atfienciance during i-he nig'ni heretofore pieventefi ihe insimiiw Lion of eieci-ric generating apparatus on a smell In my improved electric generating iippw i'zitns he operations of starting cnii Simpping the chznrgingg of ihe befitey dependent upon the specific gravity of ihe eieeifii'oiyic in said heaboi' a means which in practice I have found to be reiiehie for the purpose.

1 claim: 9

'2, he comiiiinetion, in en eniomcfiic eleciZZYiC generation and storage system, of e mo--- tor, a dynamic driven thei'eb; 1 Sim-age bah tery in cii'cuia therewith, a ccontaining said. (iTHI'lI-(ili other con hinge/1n. net for v switch in The combinaiion, in an ephnneizic oieciEiC genemcion and storage eys zem, 0i i modynamo in eonniciaion thei'e'vw storage hatiew' in circuit with '3. cijmmno, on ciecti'ic circuit energize Sci-i. imi'i'ery, a circuit coi'iti'oiied by e ilyiilOi'EiQ-" in said homer and also containing a poian ized ire ,ii continue!" drum for sziici cirl'filiiJS, in motor for driving .niii drum, afnc'i a. circuit containing said motor controiieqi said pohn-imui relay.

2-3. The con'ihiimtion, in an. automatic eiectric genemtioi'i and storage s rsfiem, a H10" tor, a dynznno in conn ccion fh' eiomggo battery in cite-iii \Jiih finalize, nmi means whereby the o amc is onem'teci either-by the engine as a gencmfior or ice the battery as a motor, said means includ- In testimony whereof, I have signed my mg an electrlcal circu t contalning a ClIClllt' name to this specification, in'the presence 10 breaker having an electric c011, said circuit of two subscribing Witnesses.

breaker bein held in a closed position when the current is traveling in one direction: ALFRED V HORN through the coil and being opened auto- Witnesses: matically when the direction of flow of the KATE A. BEADLE,

current is reversed. HAMILTON D. TURNER. 

